Monday, July 1, 2013

Sisters Part 4: Grandkids, Cousins and Washing Machines

Jane hasn’t been to Philadelphia
for seven years. Her last time here was when our father died. Jane hates to fly;
hates to fly!!! The day her plane took off, she hit every big storm from
Chicago to Philadelphia. Instead of arriving on Monday, at 7:20 p.m. She didn’t
get in until close to one on Tuesday Morning.

We have a running joke in our
family that every time we get a visitor from California, things go wrong in
Philadelphia. We call it the California Curse. My sister Jane was only here for
two days and our new washer broke; died would be a better term. When the
repairman came out, he said there was something wrong with the Circuit Board.

“Do you mean just like the circuit
board in a car? I asked my husband.

"More like the space shuttle," he replied.

Apparently, our energy saving high efficient
washer crashed just like my personal computer did three times last year. We
have to wait for the new circuit board to come in. Why am I telling you this?
Well, I haven’t been to a Laundromat for close to forty years; things change. I
couldn’t get over the sizes of the washers. There was one washer called the
Magna Dexter. This baby could wash a year’s worth of clothing in one wash for
eight dollars and fifty cents. My sofa would fit inside, with room to spare.

Jane and I picked the triple load
washer for our needs. The cost was three dollars and fifty cents. I didn’t have
the correct change, but the Laundromat has change machines. I stuck in my ten
dollar bill, expecting to get all ones back, but…

…After I returned to the washer
with ten dollars-worth of quarters, Jane and I tried to figure out where to put
the detergent and softener. The washer was taller than us; we’re short; jumping
up and down to read the instructions can sometimes frighten people. Luckily,
the regular customers who thought we were escapees from the looney bin finally
helped us.

The clothes are back home and nice and clean. I’m
dying to try the Magna Dexter, maybe next wash day.